Feds looking at closing several Oklahoma National Guard facilities

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) In addition to Oklahoma's five military installations, the state's two Air National Guard facilities, one in Oklahoma City and the other in Tulsa, will be considered for closure

Friday, February 25th 2005, 6:33 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) In addition to Oklahoma's five military installations, the state's two Air National Guard facilities, one in Oklahoma City and the other in Tulsa, will be considered for closure under a federal evaluation process.

Major General Harry Wyatt told a state panel that the 138th Air Fighter Wing in Tulsa and the 137th Airlift Wing in Oklahoma City will be included in the upcoming Base Realignment and Closure process.

Wyatt says there could be a risk to some of the National Guard locations during a meeting of the Oklahoma Strategic Military Planning Commission.

The commission was created by Governor Brad Henry two years ago to help protect the state's five military facilities from closure or realignment.

Those installations include Fort Sill Army Post in Lawton, Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Vance Air Force Base in Enid and the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.

Wyatt says the Camp Gruber Army National Guard facility near Muskogee also is subject to the BRAC process, but is less likely to be considered for closure.

Wyatt told the commission recent comments by General John Jumper, Chief of Staff of the U-S Air Force, reveal a plan to eliminate outdated airplanes, many of which are used by Air National Guard units, to free up funding for more modern aircraft.